Real Food For Fuel Blog

I debated whether or not to write about my surgery, but decided this is an important part of my athletic journey and thus wanted record, reflect and share. Reading my friend Cortney's surgery report for same issue was very helpful in my understanding of the process, thus hopefully my experience may benefit someone else as well. My primary reason for seeking out care and treatment was so that I could return to being an athlete at my fullest capacity moving forward. As previously mentioned, the claudication (restriction of blood flow) in my right leg has been giving me trouble since December and has significantly impacted my ability to train. This weekend, I should have been lining up for the Chattanooga 70.3, but instead I will be continue to rest and recover from surgery. That said, I accepted my alternative fate weeks ago and am beyond thrilled with how smoothly the surgery process went! Iliac artery endofibrosis is a largely unknown condition and can be very difficult to identify without the right expertise, and few surgeons across the country are equipped to treat this condition. The care I've received at Wake Forest has been exceptional since beginning this process back in early March, and I am incredibly thankful to have convenient access to medical expertise I needed to get back to the sport I love.

Lately I find myself daydreaming quite a bit. It started about 2 months during some of my longer rides and runs. I would find myself thinking about that time when did a 16 mile trail run the day after a 100 mile ride and enjoyed every second of it, or the time when I did double time trials up Harding avenue (a 2 mile climb in town) and felt strong. That 120 mile ride I did two summers ago, cruising through the final miles of my ironman in 2015, the time I bounced up the north rim of the Grand Canyon dropping my husband in the process. Those days and workouts that left me feeling exhausted but exhilarated, reaping the benefits of a level of fitness that comes from months upon months of hard work. Also a feeling I have not experienced much in the past year, and an aspect of training and racing that I am currently missing dearly.

It amazes me how God knows exactly what you need, when you need it, and fulfills those needs in creative and unique ways. A little over a week ago, I was desperately in need of a distraction and something to help me pass the days until having surgery on May 1oth (more on that in my next post). Waiting has been hard on me, harder than I anticipated, and I've had a lot of restless nights lying awake thinking about it, praying for rest, peace and patience. Then last week happened. I'm excited to tell you about it!

If there’s one thing I dislike most in life, it’s having to fast for medical procedures. My body is well-trained to expect breakfast each morning when it wakes up, and not being able to honor that hunger in conjunction with having to wake up extra early makes for a lot of grumpy grumbles, quite literally :)

Patience and perseverance have been central themes within my training over the past 3 months. “It never gets easier, you just get stronger,” right? Patience in regaining fitness, patience in working through leg issues, and now patience in search for answers. No one ever said it would be easy.

My main objective for this spring has been to engage in consistent training while preparing for Chattanooga 70.3. After taking a lot of down time in the latter half of 2017, I was excited for workouts to ramp up, to work hard and regain fitness. After the challenges of last year, I was also hoping for said training to go smoothly with no major set-backs or hiccups. Le Sigh. Can’t a girl catch a break??!​

About Kristen

Kristen Chang is Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) and triathlete residing in southwest Virginia with her husband and dogs. Follow along as she shares favorite fueling recipes, general wellness and sport nutrition tips and stories from her athletic endeavors.[Read More]